The Night Before Christmas
by Jettara1
Summary: After watching The Grinch and a series of Christmas films, Jack asks North if there was ever anyone like the Grinch who tried to destroy Christmas, someone other than Pitch Black. After much thought, North regales Jack with a story of his youth and his first few years as Santa Claus. Movie verse/book verse
1. Chapter 1

The Night Before Christmas

**Lol, I know over used title but it's the one that best suits this fic. Requested by KitsuneMagic48 and 50ShadesofPitchBlack. Just some cute fluff that I originally thought should be a one shot then decided to make it a chapter fic.**

Santoff Claussen was a buzz of activity as yetis rushed about finishing last minute details and wrapping gifts for the big night only one day away. Elves ran about underfoot trying to help but causing more havoc as per usual. North ignored it all as he went over the Naughty and Nice list for the umpteenth time, and frowning when he kept finding the same name circled in red at the top of the Naughty list. It shouldn't be there, he had personally been monitoring the boy since he became a Guardian and why in Earth did it keep reappearing after he erased it?

"Phil!" he called as the chief of security rushed past with a clipboard and yelling at his underlings.

The large grey and brown yeti stopped and glanced at him. His face suddenly became sheepish at the sight of the large leather bond book.

"What did boy do this time?" North asked as he handed the book to his friend.

The yeti grumbled and motioned to the huge Christmas tree in the center of the grand hall. North's brows rose in questioning. The tree looked as it always did, perfect. Then he noticed it. It was such a small thing and barely noticeable but it made North small even as Phil frowned. Small ice sculptures sat on the green branches like ornaments and a delicate layer of frost coated the entire tree, so thin that it made the pine of the pine glimmer like crystal. It was really very beautiful. Even the star on top reflected the light of the workshop.

"Magnificent," he said with a whistle before pulling out a pencil and erasing Jack's name from the Naughty list yet again. "That is no reason to put him on the Naughty list, Phil. This is his own as much as ours and you must accept the fact that he's going to want to put his own mark on some of our traditions. He does not go on list unless truly naughty, understand?"

The yeti only rolled his eyes and grumbled something about North being wrapped around the boy's pinky before yelling at some elves to leave the decorations alone. North chuckled and shook his head. Phil adored Jack but was not put up with the boy's pranks and games, especially so close to Christmas. Satisfied there were no more mistakes on both lists, the Father of Christmas set the books on his desk knowing full well Phil would try to slip Jack's name in once more. He checked over the production line and gift wrapping tables, signed his approval to numerous documents before finally heading to the entertainment room to get a little rest before the big night.

Jack was exactly where he had left him hours earlier, laying on his belly watching Christmas movies with a large bowl of popcorn and half drank smoothie at his side. This particular one was a favorite of North's, _The Grinch Who Stole Christmas_. It was the actual movie version and not the rather annoying cartoon. Jack was so into the film he didn't even hear North come in. It made North grin. The child rarely stayed still and would normally be out spreading winter fun but the weather was colder than normal and Jack had spread so much snow the last few weeks that a fresh dusting was not needed. At least not that night. So rather than playing with his small army of new Believers, many of whom were away to warmer climate for the holidays, Jack opted to spend that day at home and doing what many kids did a few nights before Christmas – watch as many holiday movies as possible. The boy couldn't understand what the big fuss as all about, he had not seen one since the age of drive-in theatres, and was curious. Judging by his large eyes and slightly open mouth he was enjoying himself.

North fetched himself a bowl of popcorn before settling on the floor next to Jack and leaned against the sofa as the boy grabbed a handful of his own popcorn and shoveled it into his mouth. The elder Guardian said nothing as he watched the film as well. He never really watched movies often but from time to time he would sit back and enjoy one. The entertainment room was primarily used by the yetis and elves and every so often the Guardians when they got together for a movie night or just wanted to tease each other over the latest holiday flick based around one of them. Not so long ago Toothiana and Bunny were teased endlessly for their portrayals in films such as _The Tooth Fairy_ and _Hop_ which had North and sandy rolling around in stitches. He made a mental to show them to Jack. If anyone could appreciate a good film that was sure to embarrass their friends it would be Jack.

The scene where the Grinch's heart suddenly swelled as the people of Whoseville sung came up and an image of Pitch Black doing his little dance number came to mind. North burst into laughter. That would never happen with the boogeyman but it was a funny thought. He could just see Pitch's heart swelling with love for humanity and his face pinching as he smiled and jumped on his sleigh and…yeah, too weird.

His laughter made Jack jump in surprise and he knocked over his bowl, spilling popcorn on the large area rug. His head whipped around to look at North with wide eyes. Then he smiled and relaxed. "Hey, North, how long have you been sitting there?"

North chuckled as he lifted his mug of cocoa to his lips. "No long, my boy. How are you enjoying the movies?"

Jack's smile widened. "They're great! I can't believe some of these movies depict you the way they do. I mean you're not fat by any means just big and muscular and yeah you're jolly but not in a demented way. I mean what are some of these guys smoking? I think the closest is _The Santa Claus_ but even then…and the elves are nothing like they actually are they're more like…"

"You?"

The boy blushed, frost dusting his cheeks. "Well…yeah."

"You know there are Jack Frost films. We could always watch those together," North offered, grinning mischievously at the youth.

Groaning, Jack flopped on his side. "No…Jamie got his hands on a bunch and made me watch them with him. They were horrible! That's why I choose _The Grinch_ after the last Santa film. It's weird and twisted but it's better than watching a little version me prancing around in blue tights and jingle shoes."

North gave a full belly laugh at that. Yes, that was a rather adorable version of Jack but he kept that to himself. "I could always make you that outfit," he offered with a teasing grin.

"No!" Jack gasped in horror. "If you do that I'll have to burn it."

"Dah, dah, I won't be so cruel…although it would mark you as my head elf. Jack!"

The youth threw a handful of popcorn at him with a laugh. "Don't you dare!"

North only laughed and returned fire. "Keep making mess and you'll be left to clean up on your own."

That made Jack pause and drop his popcorn back in the bowl. "Okay, fine but…whatever you do don't do that. Please?"

"Alright, alright, no blue tights or jingle shoes," North promised. "So you like this movie?"

Jack shrugged but he was no longer watching the film. He sat up and folded his legs under him. "Yeah, but…I was wondering, did anything like that ever happen?"

North's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean 'happened'?"

The boy rubbed the back as his head and looked rather shy. "I mean, did anyone try to still or ruin Christmas. I mean there are a lot of movies with the theme. _The Grinch, The Nightmare Before Christmas,_ even the third _The Santa Claus_, which, by the way had a Jack Frost that sounded more like Pitch Black for his whining. Like seriously, if any of those film writers knew me they would know I don't sound or act like that."

"Ahh…I see," said North as he thought back. "Well there was the time Pitch…"

"No, no, not Pitch. He's always messing with the holidays. Was there anyone else, another enemy of the Guardians or just you?"

North had to sit back and think about it. Most of his Christmases were rather easy going – other than the times Jack had been angry or upset before becoming a Guardian and would lash out, but that was usually nothing more than a blizzard or freezing rain. Those were tough times but nothing he couldn't handle. There were few spirits who would even consider causing North trouble mainly due to the fact he rarely turned anyone away and tried to help the other spirits if he could. But there had been a time long ago when he wasn't so popular and the spirit world did not appreciate what he did for the children of the world. One in particular who thought North was trying to steal his thunder.

"Old Man Winter," he suddenly said with a whimsical smile. "It was very, very long ago and I was but a young man. Would you like to hear that tale?"

Jack beamed and shifted closer. "Please?"

Chuckling, North picked up the television's remote and shut it off. "Alright, where to begin…"


	2. Chapter 2

The Night Before Christmas 2

**I know some are wondering about Old Man Winter and Jack being the same person, yeah I've heard that story too, but to me they're two different people, they have whole different personalities. So that's how I'll treat them. This is going to be in the style of ****_The Princess Bride_**** which is an awesome film from the 80s that everyone should watch at least once.**

Jack shifted closer to North, very interested now. "Old Man Winter? Why would he want to ruin Christmas? Doesn't he like the fact that you bring wonder to children?"

North chuckled and sat back against the sofa. "Ah, you would think so, no? Sadly, he was not so willing to share his season at the time. You see Christmas did not start on the twenty-fifth of December, at first it was on the Winter Solstice and that was where the trouble began.

"The Winter Solstice is a powerful time as you well know. It is the time the winter elementals are their strongest and people honor them. In older times they would pay homage, give sacrifices and worship them like gods in hopes of a gentle winter. Many people died in those days, young children and the old unable to handle the cold season. Illness ran rampant throughout the world and while New Worlds were being discovered the sense of Wonder and Joy and even Hope were fading. So Manny asked the Guardians if we could help. I had already been a Guardian ten years but I primarily made toys for the children of Santoff Claussen. I had no interest at the time of expanding but with the threat of Pitch being minimal the idea slowly appealed to me, especially when Bunny jumped at it. You should have seen his face when Manny asked him to bring eggs to all the children of the world. That old fuddy-duddy had a stock pile of chocolate eggs in his Warren, more than anyone of us could eat in ten life times. So he decided to take over an old pagan holiday that the new Christian world was trying to make their own. He was once worshipped fertility God way back in the day before becoming a Guardian so felt it right to take back a day once dedicated to him. His first run was not the success he had hoped – what parent in their right mind would allow they child to eat strange colorful eggs found in the woods? But those who did accept the eggs and were able to eat them brought Hope to Bunny and he continued every year to bring bigger and better eggs and even snuck them into houses. That was what inspired me.

"Of course we made it into a challenge. Bunny was so full of himself and bouncing around like a child with too much sugar. It didn't help that the Santoff children were dancing around him asking for eggs and completely forgetting the new toys I had just made them. I was jealous but I will never admit that to Bunny, he'll just taunt me about for years to come. So I took up Manny's offer and with the help of my mentor Ombric, choose the Winter Solstice for my day. I spent all year making toys but unlike Bunny I had no helpers and was only able to create a few thousand…back then I did have a djinni – a robot man I created to help around the village. Then came the issue of transporting them all. Ombric had given me an infinity sack to put all the gifts in but it was extremely heavy. I had the djinni but after Pitch had stolen it from me once I was reluctant to take it from the village again. So as the time approached I became more and more fearful that I would not be able to accomplish the task of bring the children their gifts. There was great sadness throughout the village. No one knew what to do. Katherine offered to let me fly Kailash from town to town but as might as the great snow goose was not even she could made such a grand trip in one night. No, we needed something much more sturdy. Then came idea!

"My djinni was able to shift forms and one of them was a flying sleigh and while I did not want to use him he gave me the clue I needed. A sleigh, but not just any old sleigh, the grandest ever seen. So while the djinni continued building toys I set to work on the sleigh. I wanted it to be bigger and more power than what the djinni turned into and it needed to be fast, able to land and take off in a heartbeat. It would be magnificent! It took weeks to accomplish but when it was done it was a sight to behold. Not the one I have now, it was smaller but still very beautiful. The next problem to occur was how to make it fly and go the speed I wanted. Oh I could have put a propeller on it as I had the djinni but I feared it would make too much noise and would not be nearly fast enough so I sat under Big Root and thought and thought about what to do."

"Wait, what's a big root?" Jack interrupted.

"A huge tree in which we all lived," North answered with a smile before saying, "Now hush and let me continue. Now where was I?"

"Sitting under Big Root thinking," Jack provided as he grabbed his smoothie and took a sip.

"Ah yes," North said grinning. "And what would I behold as I gaze in the night sky but Nightlight playing with the reindeer as he created a road of light for them to run upon. It was a fantastic sight. Some of the reindeer's offspring had been greatly affected by the by the boy's magic and had learned to fly without the road and they were quite fast and powerful. So I turned to the lad and asked if could do the same to all the reindeer. I had been disappointed at first, apparently not all could handle the magic and their bodies rejected it but he helped me sort through the ones that had adapted to the magic and those that hadn't and soon we had eight powerful beasts, fast and strong that could both fly and pull the sleigh. There was much trial and error right up to the big day but oh what a day it was! Even Bunny was excited, although he'll never admit to that. Everyone helped load up the sleigh, the infinity bag was huge by then and far too heavy for any one person to carry and for a moment I feared we would not get off the ground. Then…whoosh! We were in the air and flying over the clouds.

That night I delivered to every house in Russia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. A small number compared to now but a good first run. I was exhausted by morning but very proud of myself. Of course Bunny teased me for only being able to do such a small amount compared to him so I challenged myself to do much more the following year. And you wonder where we get our rivalry from?

The next year I did three times the amount of homes but a strange thing happened. Children were starting to Believe in me. A story started about Santa Claus that spread from country to country, an old elf that delivered gifts. Now I was not old by any means back then, barely in my 30s and very fit. No big belly back then." He laughed as he patted his belly. "But the stories continued and so I let them be. I later learned it was Katherine spreading the rumors after a vision of me in such a role. Anyhow, they stories grew like wild fire and so did my magic. I was able to create more and go further but not nearly as far as I wanted. So I asked for help from my yeti friends in the Himalayas who suggested I build a workshop and hire some of them to help. It was a marvelous idea! By then I had millions of kids believing in me and counting of Christmas, almost enough to rival Bunny. The idea of my own workshop was so appealing that I could not refuse. The question was where to build it. Sadly, Santoff Claussen was no longer ideal. The children were grown and moving on with their lives and no new families were moving in. Ombric was getting old and ready to retire and even Katherine was all grown up. My inspiration was leaving me. I needed somewhere new, someplace where the distractions of children growing up would not depress me so. Yaloo, an old time friend amongst the yetis, decided that we would go on an expedition to find on new home for me. The Himalayas were nice but the Lunar Lamas can be just as much of a distraction as watching the children who inspired you, grow up and leave. For months we hiked through the frozen tundra of the north while the djinni built toys until we found this." He waved his hand to encompass the North Pole. "And we began to build. But that was not without difficulty. I had unknowingly upset the monarchs of winter. You see, by making the Winter Solstice my holiday children forgot the ancient beings of winter and had begun worshiping me and that was a mistake that nearly cost me my life."


	3. Chapter 3

The Night Before Christmas 3

"So did he attack you?" Jack asked in excitement. He was bouncing on his legs like a five year old high on too many sweets. "Did you have a huge battle? You kicked butt, right?"

North chuckled at his enthusiasm. He had not had a child so excited for one of his stories since William the Absolute Youngest's grandson. That was many centuries ago. Nonetheless, he waved his hands to get Jack to calm down. "Dah, dah, but not right away. If you wish me to continue you must calm down. How about we get more cocoa first?"

"I'm good," Jack chirped too excited for anything else.

But North was parched from storytelling and he gave the youth a pointed look, silently asking the boy to do him this one favor. It took a moment but Jack got the hint.

"Oh!" the boy said before jumping to his feet, grabbing North's mug and racing over to the wet bar where a pot of hot cocoa rested on a burning set to low. He refilled the mug then raced back, sloshing some on his hand. "Ow!"

"Are you alright?" North asked as he took the mug and placed it on the floor. Then he took Jack's hand and studied where the hot liquid had touched. It was pink but not burnt as he feared. The hot cocoa must have cooled off quite a bit, that or Jack healed much faster than he thought.

Whatever the case Jack was not concerned. He sat back down and waited eagerly for North to continue. North took a sip of his beverage, letting it coat his dry throat before continuing. "No, Old Man Winter and I did not battle right away but he did visit me the day we began construction. At first I had no clue who he was and even Yaloo and his yetis were confused by his sudden appearance. He was a small old man, decrypted and harmless looking, but for him to survive in such harsh conditions made us all a little wary. Still I was not one to allow someone to suffer so and I offered him shelter in an igloo we had built to shelter ourselves. He accepted my invitation but stayed as far from the heat as possible. That should have been my first indication that someone was not quite right with him but I was more interested in building the workshop to take notice. I offered him food and drink and treated him as a guest, happy to tell someone new of my grand scheme. This project would bring great wonder to the world and happiness to children who so desperately needed it. He listened intently, still huddled in his rags, his grey gaze never wavering from me.

"You are the one they call Santa Claus then?" he asked, his voice brittle as ice and it made me shiver in sudden fear.

"Nicholas St. North but yes, people now call me Santa Claus as well," I responded, surprised he had heard of me. The North Pole was barren, no one should exist in such climates, least of all a man his age. So how had he heard of me?

"The old man nodded his head. "Ahh…the spirits are not happy with you, son. You have taken that which is not yours. A thief the call you. Is that so Cossack? Have you stolen that which is rightfully ours?" he said, his grey eyes suddenly glowing with frightening power.

"I held back my fear, thinking that this man was just another of Pitch's guises. Who else knew that I was once a Cossack? But his gaze was steady and I must admit I was both intrigued and frightened. He held a power unlike any I had seen before. I did not know I sat with an elemental let alone one so old and powerful. Until then I had never met one. I suppose the closest I had come up until then was Bunny. So rather than letting my fear get to me I scoffed his accusations away.

"And what would you know of spirits, old man?" I scoffed as I offered him a bowl of soup.

"He didn't take it. Instead he gave me that piercing gaze. "Young man, I can tell you a thing or two about the spirit world and they are angry. You stole the Solstice, the day mean to worship the winter elementals. Now the humans worship you. If you do not cease they will come after you. _I_ will come after you. You will be destroyed."

"Then before I could respond the temperature within the igloo dropped and fire went out. When we lit the torches he was gone, as if he had never been there. There was no trace of him whatsoever. Yet I was young and stubborn and so I shook him off as some crazy old man. We began construction but it was a long and daunting task. Christmas came and I had to leave to deliver presents. The weather was horrid and I only made half the route. I was very upset when I returned to the construction site and wanted to get back to work. I was there less than an hour when the snow and ice opened out from under us and everything we had done those many months was swallowed up. I was devastated and angry and for a while was unsure what to do. In the end I dismissed it as the ground shifting and so we searched for a better place to build. The old man appeared again.

"I warn you, North, if you continue you will lose more than a fantasy building. You and your friends will lose your lives," he bellowed as icy winds whipped at us making it impossible to work.

"I tried to reason with him, explain that what I did was for the children of the world but he did not care. As long as I made the Solstice mine he would destroy everything I did. I was furious now and I lunged for him, swords drawn but like before he disappeared.

"This is your last warning, Cossack!" his voice called through the wind. "Come next winter Solstice you best be gone or the world will see a winter unlike any since the Age of Ice!"

"That enraged me beyond anything anyone had done before. Manny had asked me to bring Wonder to the children of the world and here was this decrypted old man threatening to stop me. I had enough. I left the yetis to work and tried hunting this man down. I wanted answers as to why he would not wish this for the children. It seemed cruel for someone to hate Wonder so much that they would destroy it rather than allow a child to feel it. It made no sense and so I was blind in my anger.

"Of course Yaloo would not allow me to go alone. He tried to warn me of the dangers of elementals and just how deadly those of winter could be. This was not a man nor a shade or normal spirit. As you well know, Jack, elementals can be very volatile when angry and Old Man Winter was no exception. He wanted me gone. Children were beginning to lose belief in him and there for he, like the other winter elementals, were losing power. I did not understand that at the time, you see. I had no idea the power of Belief all I knew was this man was standing in my way of accomplishing my mission and after the second building collapsed I was at my wits end. I needed help. So I turned to Bunny and Ombric.

"What have I done wrong?" I asked them after the long trek back to Santoff Claussen. "What have I done to earn such hatred?"

"Ombric was stroking his long beard in thought when Bunny smacked me across the back of my head. I nearly turned on him, my sword half unsheathed without so much as a thought. That silly Pooka only gave me an even look before placing one of my favorite eggs before me.

"You, sir, have stolen their holiday," he said without so much as blinking.

"I stared at him as if he were crazy. Sure the Solstice was an important day but it was no holiday, at least in my eyes. I was never raised to worship it. I had no father or mother to teach me its importance. I was simply the day when the night ruled. It was not a big deal, or so I thought. Both Bunny and Ombric were appalled by my arrogance and I never received such a lecture in my life. For days they lectured me on the importance of the Solstices and Equinoxes. Sort of how Bunny lectures you about the holidays only more heated. I argued back, refusing to give up my holiday. It was mine; I choose it and if they didn't like it why not tell me before? Ah…but Bunny had been so preoccupied with his own holiday and…personal issues that he did not listen when I first declared the Solstice mine. Still, I was stubborn and rather than listen to my friends I returned to the yetis to continue work. Christmas was quickly approaching and I had gifts to deliver.

"Ah…what a year that was! My workshop was nowhere near complete and my djinni was somehow destroyed. I found it as I went to gather the gifts for delivery. Ice tore through its frame and destroyed its inner workings and there was no way to repair it right away. I had just over a thousand gifts and no time to make more. I was ruined! I had never been so angry. Nothing and no one could calm me down. How was I to deliver so few gifts? How was I to choose who got presents and whom didn't? I was so lost and ready to give up but then a funny thing happened. My elves began giving me crudely made wooden toys. They were horribly craving but they wanted so badly to help me that I accepted them. I looked them over and smoothed them out and before I knew the yetis were helping. What toys the elves tried to make that could not be fixed they remade completely, able to follow even the simplest designs and turn them into magnificent toys. Soon we had more than I dreamed! I was finally able to reached lands I had yet to visit.

"Of course Old Man Winter was furious and he did everything in his power to stop me. He didn't care about the toys or children. In fact by then he wanted anyone and everyone who loved Santa Claus to suffer. That year there was a blizzard unlike any I saw before. The reindeer fought the high winds and for a while we were very successful. Almost all the gifts were delivered and we had visited six new countries, but our luck ran out just over Ireland. We were attacked and trapped in a white out so thick I could not see my hand before me. The wind howled and whipped but still I pushed the team onward, certain we could get above the storm. Then, all of a sudden, we crashed just off the coast of Scotland. There I was captured and my beloved sleigh destroyed."


	4. Chapter 4

The Night Before Christmas 4

Jack's eyes were incredibly wide as North stopped to sip his beverage. Seconds passed in silence but they might as well have been hours. Jack was nearly bursting to know what happened next. Yet North only sat back and enjoyed his drink and ate more popcorn. "Well? What happened? Did the others have to save you?" he finally asked unable to wait any longer.

North nearly choked on his cocoa. He pounded on his chest for a moment before shooting the boy a glare. "Save _me?_ Nyte! No one need ever save me; I'm the greatest swordsman in the world!"

The winter sprite grinned at his elder's antics. He was pretty sure the others had to pull North butt out of the situation he had gotten himself into. Just the indigent look on North's dace and the way his cheeks went from rosy to bright red. Yep, North had been way over his head. "So, what happened then?"

"Bah, you don't want to hear old war stories," North said, going to get up. "You should be in bed sleeping. Big day tomorrow."

Jack grabbed his arm and pulled him back down – other rather North let the boy pull him back down. "Sorry, I was just afraid you were hurt in the crash. Please finish the story. Pleeeaaassseee!"

The Russian gave a sigh and his best put out look. "I don't, Jack. It is late and we both need our sleep." But he gave in when Jack gave him big puppy dog eyes. "Alright, alright, put puppy eyes away. They should be listed as dangerous weapons."

The sprite whooped with glee and sat back down, his legs folded under him.

Shaking his head with a chuckle North continued his story. "Now where was I? Oh yes. My sleigh had crashed off the coast of Scotland. The crash had been forceful enough to throw me from the sleigh and the reindeer that had not broken free were severely injured but so was I. I barely remembered hitting my head or losing consciousness. When I awoke I found myself in an icy prison, my coat and boots taken from me and my limps frozen to the ground and ceiling. While I could handle the cold with little difficulty this was even more than I could take. I yelled and cursed and damned Old Man Winter for I knew at once who would have the gull to do such a thing to me. But unlike the other times I had encountered the old man I was now alone, no yetis or weapons. I was virtually helpless, except for my rather big mouth that did not know when to shut up."

Jack snickered at that but quickly hid it behind a hand when North shot him a look.

Rolling his eyes in exasperation North went on. "Of course it did no good. The old man ignored until I calmed down and the cold finally took hold. I shivered and my limps were numb. When I finally went silent he spoke in his raspy angry voice that sent chills down my spine.

"You refused to listen to my warnings, young man," he said as he hobbled up to me. He had grown weaker over the years, his Believers all but gone in his region. "You leave me no choice but to do away with you. Pity, _He_ said you were special but you're just another arrogant human. If not for him the others would have killed you long ago."

"Who?" I asked still too angry to really care. I was trying to figure a way out. If only I could free one arm perhaps I could break the ice.

"The Man in the Moon," the old man spat in disgust. "Said you were to bring Wonder to children and balance the world. All I see is arrogant man trying to gain fame. Is that it, 'Santa Claus'? Are you here to make the humans forget the old and worship you instead? You wish to be thought of as God?"

"I was flabbergasted. I had no knowledge that these spirits spoke to Manny. I was taken back by his words. "Man in Moon?" I asked in surprise. "He speaks to you?"

"Yes," the old man snarled. "He is fond of you but that does not matter. You're little mission of Wonder is over. Why would children need silly toys when they can have cold and snow?"

"I was angry and confused but as I looked at Old Man Winter as he raised an ice sword and prepared to lop off my head I say just how ill he had become. He could barely lift the sword and the snow and ice under his control seemed to grow brittle. I was suddenly able to move my left wrist. For a moment the urge to break free and throttle this man gripped me but it subsided even as the sword was raised to my throat. "Why would take Wonder from children?" I asked, no longer arrogant or spiteful but truly curious. "Why take their joy?"

"The old man sputtered at that. "They found Joy in snow!" he yelled at me but his voice cracked with emotion. "They found Joy in Winter."

"They also found death," I countered but seeing his hurt and anger an idea popped into my mind and I could see new toys, ones that would bring the children outside to play and maybe love the snow. I ran through my mind so quickly that for a moment I lost track of what the old spirit was saying. No, too many ideas rushed through me and suddenly, without really much thought, I offered to change my day and asked him to join me as I delivered gifts the following year.

"He was appalled. He wanted nothing to do with what I brought the world. He wanted me dead and would have challenged me had his health been better but I assured him that I could make things right. Still he would not give but by now my mind felt overloaded with toy designs that I knew no fear and knew that just as the Moon and Sun shone above that my mission would not fail. So when he swung his sword at me I broke free and stopped him but I did not swing back, instead I pinned him down and spoke very gently to him.

"I will amend what I have done to you and your kind," I swore. "Please, allow me this last chance and you will not regret it."

"He only glared at me before raising his hand to me but when I took it to help him up he sliced open my palm and ice entered my blood stream. "One year, Nicholas St. North. One year and if you dare to deliver gifts on the Solstice you will be as the ice around us." Then he was gone and I was alone to search for my boots and coat.

"But the time I located the reindeer and got the ones I could save back to Santoff Claussen I was down sick with pneumonia. I had rarely every been sick before so I was not prepared for the high fever or gut wrenching coughs. Had it not been for the reindeer I would never have made the journey. They got me as far as the enchanted forest before I fell. The enchanted Lady of the Forest found me and carried me to Ombric. Oh was a horrid month that was. I slept much of the time with Katherine and Ombric switching off to care for me. Bunny and Ombric argued over ways to make me well and for I time I felt more like a lab rat then Guardian. I never was given so much medicine or chocolate in my life and it took Katherine and Tooth to shoo the silly wizard and rabbit man away. The woman fussed over me and argued as much if not more than Ombric and Bunny. I would have been funny had I not been sick. It took a long time for me to get better but despite the illness I had work to do. The ice within my blood moved from my palm and up my arm every day and soon my fingers darkened as if I had frostbite, but still I worked. On more than one occasion Ombric found me at my work table, passed out with a new toy in my hand.

"Yaloo and his yetis had returned, having given up on building the new workshop. To my surprise he had taken my blueprints and studied them. One day when I awoke hundreds of toys were already built and painted. Shiny new bobsleds and skates that strapped to the bottom of boots, things that would make children want to play outside. We also made hats, scarves and mitts for children. Old Man Winter was correct; children had forgotten the fun of outside in the light of the toys I had been bringing them as well as by stealing the Solstice. I was intent on making things better. Little did I know how challenging that would be…especially when Bunny discovered what had happened.

"Don't ever let that rough and tough exterior fool you, Jack. Bunny is a worry wart when he gets in the move and no matter how much teasing and taunting we do to each other he will be worse than a mother hen when the need requires. He discovered the frostbite snaking up my hand and at first he feared it was caused by Pitch Black and that I was turning into a Fearlings. Total panic mode! He cast spells and covered it in herbs and forced me back to bed where he could monitor me every moment. He even had Nightlight flash as bright as the sun to ward it away. Of course it never worked but the thought was there. Had you seen Bunny back then you would never had thought he was capable of panicking so but he did. If there is one thing Bunny fears above all else is anyone turning into a Fearling. He refused to listen when I explained what had happened between Old Man Winter and I and so after one of our usual tussles – we often play fought to sharpen our warrior skills – I managed to pin him to the ground and talk some sense to him. After all it didn't take months to become a Fearling. So with Bunny much calmer I finally explained everything that had happened and asked for his advice.

"I was considering pushing my holiday forward by a few days so that the children could use their new gifts on the Solstice but Bunny pointed out the fact that the children would still be thinking of me and not the winter beings that day and that if anything I should allow the winter elementals their holiday first. I was furious by this idea but it held merit; if the winter elementals had their holiday first then they would once again be worshipped and regain Believers rather than be forgotten in the Joy and Wonder of their new gifts. It saddened me that the kids would not have their toys in time for the Solstice but at least their focus would return to the old spirits and they would grow powerful once more. Besides the Solstice was only the beginning of winter and there would be plenty of snow for the children to play in for months to come.

"We did not try building the workshop that year. We waited to see what would happen that Christmas.


	5. Chapter 5

The Night Before Christmas 5

A small yawn escaped Jack and he tried his best to stifle it behind his hand. He shifted closer to North and burrowed under the large man's arm as sleep tugged at his mind. North wrapped his arm around Jack's narrow shoulders and drew him a little closer.

"Are you tired, my boy? Perhaps we should wait until morning to finish," he said as he carded his fingers through surprisingly soft hair. Jack was a little warm and North realized that the youth had left the windows closed. Even without the fireplace roaring with flame the room was rather warm.

"Nah, I want to hear what happens next," the boy said although this time he could not hide his yawn. His head rested against North's wide chest, just over his heart. It was his favorite position whenever Jack cuddled with one of the Guardians, North had noticed, as if the child could never get enough of the sound of a beating heart. Jack was a winter spirit, much like Old Man Winter, he had no heartbeat. In all essence Jack was dead, his spirit torn from the corpse of his human body.

North held back the shiver he got whenever he thought of Jack's death. While he had not been there and did not truly know the boy Jack once was the idea of such a spirited child dying so young often had him laying awake at night thinking of the trauma Jack must have experienced in his last moments of life. And while Jack was the polar opposite of Old Man Winter North could not help but be reminded of the loneliness and agony he saw in the old man when he feared he was losing Believers and would fade away.

He hugged Jack a little tighter. "The Solstice came and I kept my word, I did not deliver gifts. It was painful for me. I was excited to be out and about, delivering gifts and seeing Wonder light children's eyes. It was so hard waiting those extra days but it was so worth it.

"Old Man Winter was surprised that I had done as he requested and appeared the night of the 23rd. By that point I was practically bouncing with the need to hitch up the reindeer and be on my way."

"But what about the frostbite? Hadn't it travelled through your body?" Jack asked in confusion.

North nodded. "Indeed it had. Throughout December I was very ill and was forced to let the yetis do the vast amount of my work. The elves had taken it upon themselves to try and 'take care' of me. They made excellent cookies but not much else. Once they had been mighty bandits but now they were little more than miniature warriors who darted about trying to help everyone but often hindering one's work. Still they tried and I did enjoy the cookies so – regardless of Toothiana's disgruntled argument that they were bad for my teeth."

"And belly," Jack teased, patting North's rather large belly. North wasn't really fat by any means but neither was he a small man. He was completely solid.

Nonetheless, North laughed and patted his belly as well. "Dah, dah, but my belly greatly enjoyed such treats so much I could not say no. Nor have I since," he added with a laugh. "Ah, but I regress. The old man came to Santoff Claussen to see what had become of me. He honestly did not think I would concede defeat. Of course I had not but since I hadn't ruined his holiday he was…concerned, I suppose. He thought the frostbite had taken my life and was not expecting me and the yetis to be loading up a brand new sleigh with presents. The yetis immediately drew weapons and were ready to destroy the old man should he attempt to make any wrong move toward me or the village. But he did not. No, he looked about in confusion as the few remaining children of Santoff Claussen ran up to me to offer me good luck. I hadn't noticed Old Man winter at that time and automatically fished out a bunch of the little sleighs I created and handed each child one. I pointed to a nearby hill that Bunny had created while digging a tunnel. It had a nice thick layer of snow and was perfect for sliding.

"Go try these out for me and I'll come join you shortly, dah?" I told them with a large smile. Of course the elves had already tried them out and the sleighs were perfect but the children simply loved showing me how much they enjoyed my creations. So they ran to the hill and began sliding as I finished packing.

"The old man watched with interest as the child slid down the hill with whoops of glee. "Very inventive," he said, the tiniest smile tugging his cold lips.

"I nearly jumped out of my skin when he spoke. Not one of the yetis said a word about him being there but they all were armed and wary of him. I stared at the old man in confusion, wondering why on Earth he would be there. I had kept my word and not interrupted his holiday yet there he was. For several long moments we stared at each other without speaking a word. Then he approached the sleigh and ran an icy hand over it.

"I'm impressed, young man, you managed to curb your enthusiasm long enough to allow the Solstice. I take it you're planning on delivering now though?" he finally said, his grey eyes meeting mine. Then his gaze moved to the children playing in the snow. His gaze turned fond at the sight children playing in the snow rather than be huddled indoors. All the children were dressed warmly and able to stay out far longer than ever before. They laughed and played and had so much fun, enough that the old man actually smiled.

"That smile was like that of a grandfather gazing upon his grandchildren and I felt my heart race. I had not known at the time just how much his approval meant to me but when he turned that smile to me I knew I had done the right thing by waiting. "Would you like to come with me?" I asked, gesturing to the sleigh. "It's a little crowded but I can make room and then you can see the Wonder and Joy I bring and how much the children love your season."

"Children do not like the cold," he objected.

"I only smiled and gestured to the children on the hill. "We are in Northern Russia, my friend, one of the coldest places in the world yet the children play. Why wouldn't others? Come, let me show you."

"Reluctantly, the old man climbed aboard and as we delivered the gifts and watched as children embrace the cold that old man's icy heart soon melted. He loved the fact that children were now willing to play outside and while winters were still bitterly cold and often harsh he always tried to give the children bright sunny snow days. Unfortunately, not all new tricks could be taught to old dogs and he had a hard time changing his ways, but he never interfered with me delivering gifts. In fact he was the one to name my holiday. Christmas. I think he was just trying to piss off the Christians and confuse everybody but the name suck and nothing I did could change it. Another day the Christians could claim as their own. At least Bunny and I had something else in common. Mind you, the silly rabbit taunted me for years. But there was one benefit to the name Christmas…my holiday became more important than his, don't let him tell you different.

"A few years after that successful Christmas I finally got my workshop built. And what a beauty she is, no? Jack? Jack?" He glanced to his side where Jack's cold body was curled into his. The winter sprite was in a sound sleep, his head still over North's heart and thin fingers curled into the fabric of North's shirt. North smiled fondly at him and brushed his lips over the top of the child's head. "Sleep easy, little one. We have a big day come morning." Leaning against the sofa he closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off to sleep as well. It wasn't the ideal place to sleep but he was reluctant to let his adoptive son go. It wasn't often Jack allowed anyone to hold him in such a way.

. . .

It was tradition for the Guardians to gather the night before North took off to deliver presents. It wasn't so much a tradition the Russian had created but rather Tooth after the whole fresco with Old Man Winter centuries ago. Despite the old man not being their enemy anymore the Guardians refused to chance anything happening to one of them and since North didn't have the shelter of Bunny's tunnels the fairy queen worried for his safety. Sure North was a great swordsman and wizard but he was also her lover which gave her every right in the world to worry over him.

She expected to find him in his personal workshop and running about making last minute preparations rather than sleeping as he should be. But he was nowhere to be found. Her concern grew as she darted about until she finally found a rather grumpy and tired Phil and asked where North was. To her surprise he led her to the entertainment room. The sight that met her violet gaze was so precious she asked for a camera and took as many pictures as possible. Both North and Jack lunged on the area rug and leaned against the long sofa. Jack was leaning into North, his head resting on the large man's broad chest and North hugged Jack to him. They made the perfect picture of a father and son.

"Where the heck are they, Sheila?" Bunny asked as he hopped in.

She shushed him and pointed to the sleeping duo. "They're sleeping. Can you grab a blanket out of the cubby?"

Surprised, the Pooka did as requested and handed it to her just as Sandy floated in. The golden dreamweaver smiled at his sleeping friends and sprinkled a little dreamsand over both their heads.

"Oh, they're so sweet!" Tooth gushed before ushering Sandy out of the room and urging Bunny out as well.

"Be right there, Tooth," the Pooka said. He shot North and Jack a wicked grin before filling two bowls with warm water. He placed one on North's right and one on Jack's left then placed their corresponding hands in the water. "Let's see just which holiday is most successful this year, mate." Then he dashed off before the fireworks began, pausing long enough to shut off the light.

Tooth was waiting for him in the hall. "What did you do?" she asked in her sternest motherly voice.

"Nothing," Bunny said but he couldn't hide his smile.

Sandy's brows rose questioningly but before he could form a question out of dreamsand a bellow came from the entertainment room followed by Russian curses and Jack's surprised cry. Sandy's and Tooth's eyes grew wide as bunny snickered.

"ASTER!" North yelled. The thumping of boots could be in the dark room.

"Be happy you weren't wearing the red suit, mate," Bunny called back. He grinned at the other two Guardians. "Run!" Then he was gone, running down the hall and yelling that North should know better than to prank a Pooka.

North stormed into the hall and glared after his oldest friend and rival, a noticeable wet spot on his trousers. Tooth eeped and covered his mouth while Sandy tried to hide his giggles. Jack followed North into the hall, rubbing sleep from his eyes and looking around in confusion. Unlike North his trousers were still dry. Sandy's laughter grew more intense.

"Aster, get back here!" North yelled as the Pooka perched on the central column of the vast workshop.

Bunny laughed. "Think of it as payback for helping the kid prank me last Easter. If either of you ever try to dye me pink again the red suit gets it! I'm sure the ankle bitters will just love seeing Santa in hot pink!"

"Aster, when I get my hands on you!"

The Pooka smirked. "Why are Russians always so serious?" he taunted, batting at one of the toys planes flying by and knocking it out of the air.

"What's going on?" Jack asked Tooth as North chased after Bunny.

"Oh…just tradition," the Tooth fairy said, turning the boy around and leading him to his room. "It's just a long tradition of besting each other. Nothing to concern yourself over, Sweet Tooth. Let's get you back to bed. Sandy, if you'll please deal with our two megalomaniacs."

The Sandman smiled and bounced a ball of dreamsand in one hand before chasing after his two friends. The night before Christmas was always the most hectic and his busiest amongst the two Guardians. Worse, they never stayed still. It was just as bad the night before Easter. Sighing, he knocked his two friends out just as North lunged for Bunny. The two fell in a pile on the workshop floor, dreams of candy canes and carrots dancing above their heads. The two old friends and rivals snuggled together as their dreams melded together. Sandy chuckled silently to himself. After so many centuries nothing had changed between the two. He left them where they fell certain the yetis would wake North up in time to deliver presents to the children of the world, and headed to Jack's room to make sure the boy got some proper sleep after such a rude awakening. He'd have a personal talk with Bunny after the North and Jack left in the morning.

**Lol, I know the ending might seem a little off but I couldn't get the image of Tooth finding North and Jack asleep out of my head and then the idea of Bunny pranking them wouldn't go away. I can see North and Bunny pranking each other from time to time with their rivalry over the holidays.**


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